Rotary steam engine



May 22, 1945. v. c. LYNCH 2,375,792

' ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed June 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,Zzziverza:

May 22, 1945. v, LYNCH 2,376,792

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed June 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2- May 22, 1945.

v. c. LYNCH ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed Jun 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheefi '3 May 22, 1945. y. c. LYDNCH V 2,376,792

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE iled June 12, 1944 4 Sheets-She et 4 v to disclosecertain pa Patented May 22, 1945 noTAmrsrEnM E'Nqi Vernon 3'. Lynch, Berwyn;

Application June 12,

' 6 Claims.

This invention relatesxtorotary steam engines 1 101 the general type represented by my Patent No. 2,220,375 of November 5, 1940, and. particularly to improvementsgin the ;mechanisms controlling the admission and exhaust of steam and. the reversal of direction of rotation. i

The. main objects of this. invention are to pro.., vide: an improved construction for: rotary-steamengines'whereby lateral: pressures. on the rotor are balanced; to provide an-szimproved valve-amrangement controlling a the admission, of .steam: to the expansion chamber; to provide improved means for controlling-the xhaustzvalves; and to provide improved mechanism for. correlating; the operation of the inlet. and; exhaustxvalves-under the control" of a; single operating. element; such located in practice in. order. tozfbring;ther'n into; themain sectionalview for-disclosure:ofrtheirtres lationshipto othertparts:v

Figure 1 is a sectional view. l-I of-Fig. 2.

talsengon the! line Fig. 2 is an inside view of the engine frameor casing with some relatedparts; shown either in section; or elevation, theiplane .on which then viewis ta a Fig. .4. is a sectional detail'of one 015. the steam. chests-and. the valve,ring...z e

Fig. 5 is-anendelevation ;view

ed from? the right i side of Fig. l withtthe outer housing shell broken:

away and with the casing part-1y? broken away I rtsmfthe;reversinggeanainy side of. the casing.

Fig. 6 is .a-section like wheel ,I ,lsuitably massive to. serve. as, fly-q wheeljandaffixedto the haf tbyLmeans of akey. l2; 'j 'I'h'e wheel 'lfll lia'sa continuousannular rim.

l3; having". smoot at cheek surface 4, on. its opposite-sides: adjacent its periphery and having the flow of steam fro ken being indicatedfiby-the line 2.-.2: of

idetail int perspective-pf. the .pi'stonl x only of the piston valve in a, positiomapproxiv35 mately at 90 angular spacing with respect to the al View. at. right; the gles to Fig. 3 on thei-rregular line6.- '6 ofFig 3; i

1944,. Serial d. 539,926 I mounted on itsrperiphery a. pair of wing-like.

tensions whichserveas pistonselfi. Thecasingl livcomprisesia pair of. hollow'shells.

Q having; edge flanges I] which abut. againstieach 5 other in. the; central plane of. rotation of the wheel: ,I l. and..are heldntogetherby. bolts 1:85. The casing; shells ,are; shaped to; provide. a central:

chamber {9 for housing mechanisms. hereinafter hdescribed andare also shapedso as to embrace.

whichserves as theexpansiom chamberforzthe:

engine.

Between; .the chamberil9 and the cylinder channel there isrfOlmBdaitL each of. the. casing sections-a.steam, chest. 2| in the form of an annular channel. opening. toward .the. respective:

cheek. surface of i the rim. Interposed. between. .jthe cheek surfaces of .the' rim: and the-adjacent. 20 faces of the casing sections is a pain'xof valve rings- 22: eachoi which is provided with: a-rcuate: I

steam ports 23 of which. there. arerthreeinthe' particular illustrative embodiment here shown... as.may be se'enfrom Fig. 2. These ports controli 2|.v to the piston ports. I

Each piston; I 5; has a radian simultaneous. communication with .the"Opp0Sed! itsJupper. end a port 21- opening towardone side,

ports 26- about the axis of the piston valve. The piston l-5 has 1391 155 28 and 29- for directing steam I intothe expansionchamber. atrespectively opposite side of the piston. l o Atpoints 120 apart, in theform-shown, there are. head. gates30 which extendacross the cylinder channel and eachof" these head gates consistsof. a pair otplates respectively retractable:

threugh. opposite. walls ofythea' cylinder channel. 145 and. meeting edge-to-edge with tongue and groove.

formations as-shown -at 3Iin- Fig. 8.; a The plates are preferably slightly wedgershaped sohas to fit tightly in the openings of the casing when the gate. is. closed andtomove. freely away* from.thisqlosediposition. The-plates; of the gates 30 are. operated. {by arms 32 of bell-cranks which have arms 33 extending in the chamber lfl to'positionswherethey are. operated by cam mechanism hereinaiter described, whereby v the head? gatesare retracted in properly timed'relation to permit mthe live steamchannels y journaledqcyline. drical valve. body 24 which is' hollow-qtokafiordqa. Msteam passagethrough it, which'passage: 25 ter'-'- 1 30 minatesat its lower end in ports. 26 p'ositionedfor' 1 steam chests. ZI thrQugh the. ports.-23 an'd has at the pistons to pass them. When closed these gates serve as cylinder heads against which the 38 thatmeshes with a beveled gear 39 fast on aim shaft 40 in; parallelrelation to the shaft l6. The i s shaft 40 is journaled' inmspaced guide. collars 4| i' fixed with respect to the shaft but arranged head gate 36 and each port 51 is controlled by'a valve plate 58. The valve plates 58 are pivotally connected to radial arms 59 carried by a'ring 66 which'is'rotatably mounted onthe outside of the casing I6. Preferably there are exhaust ports 51 in each of the casing sections I6 and this exhaust port operating mechanism is duplicated on opposite-sides of the engine. I

For reversing'the engine a lever Blis'pivoted at a convenient point 62 on the engine frame or casing, so as'tof extend in suitable location for connection with the rack bars 55 of the reversing mechanisms at opposite sides of the fly-wheel.

"' An operating handle 63 of the lever 6| has pivin pairs to support and guides. pair of cams 42A,

oted thereon a latch lever 64,1)0sitioned to be which coaot with levers 43 on which the ioe1l;15'

crank arms 33 of the head gate operating mechaf nism ride, as will'be seen from Figs. 1 and 1. a

As shown in Fig. 7, the collars 4| have wings 44 which cooperate with wings 45 of the cam in-coningaandclosing ofathe head gatesliill The relative positions of the wings 44' and 45 for. reverse operations of the engine are controlled by a key arm1246 positioned to cooperate with the 3 the piston to correspond with eitherclockwise 01% tate relatively to the shaft I6 and which serves as a control. element for rotating the shafts 40 to'set V I ing from the lever 6L toiopposite sidesof the engine casingan'd connected to the'ringsfill'bylinks the cams. forreverse operation of'the engine and simultaneously through'the action of beveled gears 39::and 38 =to 'rotate'the piston valve 180 forrev'ers'ing theposition "of the port- 2! fromone" of thew'ports 28 and 29 to the other. I

to open communication between the piston ports 26 and thelive steam cham ber's zl as soon asthe movements of the engines v "40 Thefv'alvel'rings 22 are sopo'sitioned, as will be seen ff-romFig. 2, that their ports 23 willbegin:

gripped bythe operator's handthat is gripping 65 to engage a guide quadrant 66 having notches BlandGB-for holding the lever in the two limittrolling the movement ofthe levers and go ing-positions of its movement, corresponding rethrough them controllingthe timingof the open-I with limit stops 69 tobe'engaged bythe lever at. Y

these positions. r to v v v Jhe'lever 6! may alsoibe. appropriately connected to the rings 60 in such manner' thatthe quadrant will move the rings 60 in the proper directionand' angular extent to shiftthe ex? haustivalve plates between their fully opened and fully closed positions corresponding to reverse- In the form sh'own'rin Fig.1 this 1 connection consists of a pair of bell crank arms 1.6 extendannular channels open toward'thevalve rings 22 land the valve rings are-=he1d in place on the cas pisto'xr'has passed' one of-the head gates 30 and exhaust-ports5lopeninto a jacket space formed will continue such :com-munication throughout a fractional part of theangulartrav'el of :thepist ton'ibetween successive head gates; 'I'hus-thelive Q steamwillobe admitted to the cylinderchannel} for:1a predetermined fractional interval of the;

of the piston corresponding t'otheposition in 1' which they are shown in Fig- 2 for clockwise] rotation;1 "1his movement of the valve rings isacr complished by means of 'pinions 5ll which mesh with gear teeth 5| on the valverihgs 22 and'are carried by 'shafts52which also carry pinions 53' 5 positioned -to meshwithj rack teeth- 54 on a shift bar 55 which has r'ackteeth 56 positioned'to engage the'gear 49. i

'In'the form shown in the drawings, there are two valve rings'located at respectively opposite.;

sides ofthe wheel rim; hence the mechanism for shifting the'valve ring sides ofthe wheel. I

Eachsector of the cylinder-channel 20*is pro vided with exhaust ports 51 at? each side" or each 7 5v is duplicated for opposite outside of the main casin'g I6 b'y'an out'ershell l 15 which has an outlet pipe It; 1

The operation of the p device shown is ingsections by blocks! 1 having heads overlapping; marginal flanges 12 on the casing- 16; Steamflf enters thechannels 2| from inlet pipes 14;..Ihe

as roi- 1 InliFigs -2'- and fi'jthe parts; are illustrated in "*"their respective dispositions'for' rotation of the flywheel in' a directionclockwise with ,respectt f said views, as indicated by the arrow 13. Thus the piston valves 24' have thei-r'po'rts 21 facing 55 backward with respect to the arrow 13.- The valve plates 22 are set with'theirports-23 positioned to open communication between the steam chests E and the piston' valve-Mfimmediately afterthe rear side of'the piston has" passed-the head gates 30.1'Ihe port-valves 58 are in'the position which they are shown in' Eig'I 5, so 'that-the: eg -I haust ports of each sector of the cylinder nel will be appropriately set for motionf of the pis- 'ton' in'tliedirection of 'thejarrdw l3- s During the running pperation, the valve rin gs '22, the/exhaust gates 51: and the me'cha iismsfi of operating themare allistationary on th'e asing gaged from the gears '49. f Similarly, the piston valves theirgears 38 and'3c9, the sljia fts 40 Pinidns "a s?whee fifle am )'iarea L t relatively statiopary with espect'tqthe shaft lfl t v si iu i n hi 1111111? the cam' Wings 44, 45 na e fixed relation totheI f I pistons andare improper angular-disposition t and wheel I l and rot of; proper widthta: time the movements ofeach headgateiiifltta the positiorrofi eachpiston.

- Sincethere: are two; pistonsitherearestwq sets;

of ,wingscn each cam; and since. thereareiithree imlmlseson the twopistons. 1,

of 3 the. cam wings and springs? will "'c-loseithe headg-ate. At this instantsteam is admitted bee I tween thepiston and:headgate'at' full head while i the piston valve ports"! 5 register withthe valve ring ports 23... When ports?" pass-beyond the ring wports 1.3, :the quantum of, 'steam behind I the crank arms 10 shift the ring 60 to close the exhaust ports 51 at one side of the gates and open those at the other side. The shift-bars 55 carry their rack teeth 55 into mesh with gear 49 rotating the latter sufiiciently to turn the piston valve 24 through 189 by action of the gear trains 49, 48, 39, 38 and to shift the gate operating cams to their reverse operating positions by the action of key arms of shafts 40 in the apertures 41. The further movement of shift bars 55 carries their rack teeth out of mesh with gears 49 and leaves those gears free to rotate with shaft l0. During the travel of the shift bars 55, their second set of rack teeth 54, through gear trains 53,

-50 and 5|, turn the valve rings 22 to bring their ports 23 in position for reverse rotation of the engine. I

Control of the speed of the engine can be had by throttling the admission of steam at the inlet pipes I4 by valve means, not shown, but well understood in the art.

The word steam as herein employed is intended to cover any appropriate expansible fluid suitable for such engines. The term cylinder is applied to the expansion chamber because of its functional similarity to the cylinder of a reciprocating engine.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the structure shown may be modified or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary engine, a wheel having a continuous annular rim portion, a casing embracing said rim portion and forming a continuous hollow annular cylinder channel co-axial with said rim portion, a plurality of spaced pistons fast on said rim portion and positioned to travel in said cylinder channel, ports in opposite ends of each said piston, a valve movable within each said piston to selectively control said ports for reversal of the piston travel, a plurality of head gates dividing able timing cam. for each said; piston, andrrew versing mechanism comprising. a gear coaxial '1 with said wheel for simultaneouslynshiitingwall';

said piston valves-and timing cams. i 2. In a;rotary engine-a wheel having a eo tinuous annular rim portion, a casing; embracin aid rim portion. and form-in a c nt nuous hole low annular cylinder channel coax al with-.8eld

rim portion, a, plurality of ,spacedpistons; fashion said rim. p rtionndp sitioned to travel-in said cylind rchann l, por s in pp te ends o each said, piston,; a, valvemovable within each-said piston .to, selectively control said orts for reversal of the piston travel, a plurality of head eates-l dividing said, cylinder channel into-segments; meansto open and close said gatesincludi-ngan adjustable timing camfor each said pistomgand; reversing mechanism comprising a gear coaxial, it is d: wheel.- said ar bein n rma y ro at ableirelati-vethereto,;for simultaneous al fii p stonzvalves andtim-inggfiam-si Y m lrot ryw nei ela whe l-rhe ma ic so...

tinuous annular rim portion, a casing embracing said rim portion, and forming a continuous hole low annular cylinder channel coaxial with said rim portion, a plurality of spaced pistons fast on said rim portion and positioned to travel in said cylinder channel, ports in opposite ends of each said piston, avalve movable within each said piston to selectively control said ports for reversal of the piston travel, a plurality of head gates dividing said cylinder channel into segments, means to open and close said gates including an adjustable timing cam for each said piston, and reversing mechanism comprising a gear coaxial with said wheel, said gear being normally rotatable withsaid wheel and being angularly shiftable relative thereto, for simultaneously shifting all said piston valves and timing cams, and normally disengaged shifting means engageable for shifting said gear. 4. In a rotary engine, a, wheel having a continuous annular rim portion, a casing embracing said rim portion and forming a continuous hollow annular cylinder channel coaxial with said rim portion, a plurality of spaced pistons fast on said rim ortion and positioned to travel in said cylinder channel, ports in opposite ends of each said piston, a valve'movable within each said piston to selectively control said ports for reversal of the piston travel, a plurality of head gates-dividing said cylinder channel into segments, means to open and close said gates including an adjustable timing cam for each said piston, and reversing mechanism comprising a gear coaxial with said Wheel, said gear being normally rotatable with said wheel and being angularly shiftable relative thereto, each said piston valve having a stem radial to said wheel and geared to said shiftable gear, and each of said timingcams having an actuating pinion meshing with said gear, whereby said angular shifting of said gear will simultaneously reset said piston valves and timing cams for reverse motion of said piston.

5. In a rotary steam engine, a wheel havingga continuous annular rim portion, a piston fixed on the periphery of said wheel, a casing embracing said wheel rim, having a continuous annular cylinder channel in which said piston fits and travels and having a pair of annular steam chest channels facing the opposed cheek surfaces of said rim, valve rings interposed between said cassaid-cylinder channel intoisegmentarmeans te open. and I close. said gates including an "adiu'st-i "1 "mg and -rim tocontrolrthe fiow 'ofrsteambetween'. said chest channels and rim, .a headwgate-zin said cylinder channel retractible from the path of said saidicylinderchannel retractibleiromithe pathiof.

' said? piston; a, Loam mounted: ito 11 rotateiwith iisaid pistomportpassagesthrough said: rim and piston.

from said chests to opposite ends; ofsaidr piston,

valve means selectively: openingiand closinglgsaid piston port passages--for reversingthengin'eg exh-aust ports in said cylinder-'-channe1-adjacent-op- 9 posit e side's -of-said head gate; valvesselectively i controlling said exhaust ports IOrLreVer'sing the 3 engine, an operating mechanism for said piston valve means comprising a-crotatablemember co l axial with said wheel and'normally rotatable therewith, and reversing gear controlling the rel ative positions of. said valve rings an'd' said exhaust'valves and comprising normally diseng-aged shiftingmeansforsaid rotatable member adapted to become engaged and to shift said-rotatable 3 member'throughthe operation of said reversing 1 ear. J s i 6. In a rotary steam 'enginqa, wheel having a continuous annular rim," a" piston fixed onsaidi rim, a casing embracing said'rim and shaped to; form a continuous annular cylinderchannel in which said piston fits ,and'travelsa head-g'ate-in L1 5 wheelfmechanismlcoacting with said cani to' operate said head gate-said piston having portsithere- V in leading from said rimto oppositesides'thereof; valve. means .for selectively controlling :saidwpiston p0rtsf,-Iai:cozit1tol gear coaxially-rotatable with said wheel and:connected with said cam and pis-;- ton-:valvemeansto shift them for: reverse operation of the engine; exhaust ports 'in' said' casing. at opposite sides of saidihead gate,';valves=selectivelycontroHing-said exhaust ports.-for rev erse operation? of the. engine, annular'ss'teammhes't in said: casing having .an elongated portuaadjacentw said wheelarim. forzcommunieation with said pis= ton ports, a valve iring .interposedii -between said rim;and;said steam chest and :havingaa port;:con'-.i trolling such communicatiomtcontrol meansi-om saidi casing. for simultaneously shifting said valve ring ,7 and exhaust) port;valves-for reverse operationof-vthe engine, saidtcontrol'means comprising:

' a, member normally disengagedbut acting to con r nectsaid control gearzand said control means for coordinated operation to reverse theaenginerz v r a, p ';VERNON;C; LYNCH... 

